“It’s the editor who orchestrates the rhythm of the images, and that is the rhythm of the dialogue, and of course the rhythm of the music. For me, the editor is like a musician, and often a composer.” – Martin Scorcese

In the video industry, everyone knows the edit can make or break a project. You can hire the best production team in the world, but if your editor doesn’t understand both the technology and the art of editing, you’re out of luck. A bad edit can leave a viewer cringing and can cost more in re-edits than it’s worth.

So, what can you do to make sure you’ve hired the best of the best to edit your latest piece? I chatted with professional freelance editor and longtime Crew Connection Crew, Jeff Drake, about his vast career and what he believes makes an excellent editor.

The Vision

“When I first saw Avid Media Composer, I knew non-linear editing was what I wanted to be doing.” Drake’s editing journey began when post-production meant using tape machines and a switcher. The introduction to editing software was a complete game-changer for his career. “It allowed me to be faster and more creative and inspired me to constantly learn new technology in order to elevate the level of my work.”

That level of elevated work has allowed Drake to be fortunate enough to edit for major companies like ESPN, Wells Fargo, Toyota and Victoria’s Secret, to name just a few. His experience, accompanied by his humble and professional approach, is what sets him apart from amateur editors who may understand the technology, but not the business of editing. “Most directors and producers have a vision and it’s my job to fulfill that vision first. I always aim to bring something to the table and make the final project better than the client anticipated.”

The Business

Putting one’s artistic ego aside and focusing on delivering the client’s vision isn’t always easy, but it is a paramount trait in a sought-after editor. Creative personalities can often clash, but Drake believes forcing his perspective on a client is the opposite of what he’s been hired to do. “I will defend my creative decisions, but only once because I want the person paying the bill to be really happy with how the project turns out.” In the end, he’s been hired to make the post-production process easier for the client. It isn’t personal.

Another way he manages to keep such a professional rapport with his clients is by working as a contractor, instead of an in-house editor. Drake reveals that working with various clients away from the office is one of the biggest benefits to his work. By staying out of office politics and avoiding distractions Drake says he can focus all his energy on delivering an excellent product. As a contractor, he can also bring a fresh perspective that sometimes in-house editors can’t provide.

The Final Product

Working behind the scenes can make it difficult for people to understand the artistry that goes into editing a project. “Editing is creative control of the structure, pacing, and tone of any piece, no matter how complicated or simple.” Additionally, a solid editor can work with powerful tools to manipulate mediocre images, improve audio or design motion graphics from a simple idea.

“I think editing is the single most important contribution to the overall feel and success of a project but, of course, I’m biased.” Drake may be joking, but this is the level of commitment and skill you want your editor to have. You want to trust your editor is giving 100% percent to seeing your vision succeed. That’s what separates an excellent editor from the rest.

There are a grip ton of companies out there creating so many camera and grip accessories that it can get a little overwhelming to sort through them all. From pocket jibs to flywheels to app controlled motorized skaters, the market is flooded with nifty gadgets you want to add to your equipment cage. But, some products and companies are definitely better than others! Check out 3 companies creating some of the coolest toys in the industry!

Edelkrone

Edelkrone focuses on pint-sized, portable accessories that simplify the production process. From their PocketRig to the SliderOne, they deliver tiny tools to get smooth shots from interesting angles. Many of their products are app controlled, leaving less room for human error and more time to get that perfect shot. The motorized system is perfect for stunning timelapses and creative stop-motion projects. While all Edelkrone products are making a splash, people are especially enthusiastic about the Motion BOX and its ability to shoot 360 degrees in one fluid motion.

Kessler

Established in 2003, Kessler has become an industry leader, providing some of the most innovative camera and grip gear. For their latest invention, they merged the CineDrive and Shuttle Dolly into one groundbreaking system. The multi-axis motion controlled camera system slides easily along the dolly without missing a beat. The system is designed for users to have full control down to their fingertips by programming keyframes to ensure accurate camera movements at the precise time. To give you even more to nerd out on, the upside down camera movement on the dolly is pretty epic.

Rhino

If you search the internet for “best slider” Rhino undoubtedly has one of the largest and loudest fan bases out there. Rhino Slider EVO has the reputation of being the best in the game. One of the most notable ways this slider stands out among its competition is the flywheel. The flywheel securely sits on top of the slider to create the perfect amount of tension which keeps the camera flowing smoothly, avoiding any little bump in the road. That uninterrupted “sliding” motion is exactly why we use the slider to begin with and Rhino seems to have mastered it!

When you work in video production it is paramount that you have an online presence. Vimeo and YouTube are excellent avenues to highlight your work and attract new clients, but nothing like a strong and modern website confidently says, “I’m a professional and you can trust me.”

So, here are a few tips to help you up your online presence !

Get in the game

First things first, you need a website. Everyone has one. Maybe a lot of your work comes from word of mouth and you’ve been doing just fine. But, if you want to attract newer clients and stay ahead of your competition then you need a website. A slick site helps to gain credibility and prove you have the talent and equipment. It also showcases who you are and what you specialize in all in one place.

Looks are Everything

Now, how you execute your website is extremely important. The most crucial element is your gallery of work. Many video production professionals make the mistake of throwing all their work, from film school to present, on their site. In this case, however, there’s no question that we always want quality over quantity. Keep the newest, trendiest, cleanest work on your site and remove anything else that brings the standard down.

Keep your gallery clean and organized by categories that are easy to view. Add an aerial reel, a commercial reel, a short film reel and keep the layout simple. There are many approaches to this, but after searching across multiple websites, this is one of the sharpest and most effective galleries I found.

Out with the Old

Remember to remove old videos across all social media platforms, as well. When people google you be sure they only find top notch examples of your work! Potential clients are going to judge you off that first viewing, so don’t let any old and out of date videos drag you down.

Post it, Tweet it, Share it

Link your website to every other social media platform and stay current! If you link to Twitter – tweet! Have fresh and exciting content that lets the client peer into the experience they will have with you on location. If you link to Insta then post BTS photos, sunsets, quirky crew shots, new equipment – etc. Link to Vimeo and make sure it showcases your most current stand out pieces.

Brag a Little

Have you won an award? Were you featured in a magazine? Have brand name clients given you shout outs and accolades? Share it! If others have trusted you then new clients will be more inclined to do so as well. This is a great example from Motion Source in Chicago. I don’t even know half of these awards, but I’m immediately impressed.

Get Cheeky with it

Lastly, and the most endearing part of your social presence, is getting creative and adding some personality! The “About Us” section of your site is a great place to add some silliness and character. You can personalize the experience by adding fun team photos, like this unique selfie example from Miami based crew Maxime.

You say to yourself, “Why do I need to hire a crew for my social media campaign, my promotional video, or my company’s internal projects when I can do everything on my phone?”

Then you see incredibly beautiful images produced with the iPhone like this gorgeous short film by Amnesia Art and you think, “I can do that.” But, it’s not as easy as it looks.

When you see such a well crafted film like this it is easy to get swept away into the notion that you, yourself, or at the very least, your neighbor’s teenager because he’s better with technology than you are, can create something similar for your video project. Until you give it a try. Then, sadly, passed your deadline with half your budget wasted, you find yourself with unusable footage ruined by terrible lighting, unbearable sound and choppy editing.

Just like wearing Nikes doesn’t make you Jordan, the iPhone doesn’t make you a talented DP. Thedevice is only as good as the person operating it. Ryan Earl and Nick Arcivos, the talent behind this film, have years of experience as filmmakers and photographers. In their dedicated and very capable hands a phone becomes another tool in their arsenal to create a successful piece of art.

Another thing to consider is the extensive amount of equipment needed to create a piece that looks this professional. The Amnesia Art team posted the list of equipment they used which totals over $2,000. Half of that was spent on sound equipment alone! BECAUSE THAT’S HOW IMPORTANT SOUND IS! No one will watch your video if the sound is bad! That is why a professional Audio Tech is so crucial to the success of your project and worth every penny. Not to mention the smooth flow of the edit is not something that can be accomplished by just anybody, even with easy to use editing apps.

There is a laundry list of details that go into making a film like this. The kind of details that those of us who work in Video Production are completely passionate about, obsess over and educate ourselves on daily.

The iPhone definitely has a place in the DIY video world. You can make awesome videos for your podcast, Instagram or YouTube channel, but when it comes to larger endeavors and really higher-end projects – nothing beats experience. Or dedication. Or knowledge. Or passion. A crew of experts who understand how to use the equipment and deliver a solid project is always worth the investment.

Whether you work on commercials, movies or photo shoots, you’re bound to run into one very tricky issue in production – creating a weather scene.

There are some crafty Hollywood hacks for recreating the elements: like stuffing ice into a wood chipper (Fargo much?) to imitate falling snow or using a leaf blower against talent’s hair for tornado scenes. But, the most used element on camera, rain, can also be the most difficult to film.

R.A.I.N.

When your shoot calls for rain, you want those big, sexy, glamorous drops falling slightly to the left while subtle winds circle around your talent. You want it to look unrealistically beautiful, so you have to fake it.

Creating movie style rain requires a few simple steps. Number one – don’t shoot in the rain! Not only is weather completely unpredictable and nearly impossible to schedule a shoot around, it doesn’t read on screen. It could be a downpour of torrential rain, but the footage only shows hazy grey streaks crying on the screen. It’s kind of pathetic.

For the camera to catch the drops, you’re going to want large, heavy disbursement. Features often make it rain by using rain trucks, but that can cause a drought in the budget. The next best thing is a rain rig, which are long pipes that stand on tall poles with attached sprinkler heads. Rain rigs are set up in the foreground and background of your shot to create a great consistent shower. Those can be a bit pricey as well. If you want Hollywood rain on a film school budget, check out this bad-ass rain rig designed by Tom Antos. Watch out for the Amateur Move: Rain that comes into the scene from more than one direction.

*lighting matters*

Once you have your rain source, you have to light it properly. Backlight. Blacklight. Backlight. Backlighting separates the rain from the background and highlights the drops as they fall to the ground. This creates layers, more dimension and allows the droplets to really shine.

The Blustery Day

Whether you’re trying to achieve a romantic kiss under a light drizzle or the Day After Tomorrow Armageddon storm, you’re going to need some wind to sell the moment. A fan off camera isn’t going to push the illusion of wind unless it has something to blow around. For wind to pop on screen, you want to scatter your set with debris like leaves, dirt, and some earth powder. When you add the fan, the debris will circle in the air, creating whirling movement and a beautifully textured scene.

Finishing Touches

To finish off your stormy look, make sure to wet down the entire scene. Vehicles, roads, umbrellas, sidewalks and your talent. In some cases, simply hosing down the set is enough to create the illusion of fresh rain. In the end, that slick, wet look really resonates on camera and delivers that rainy day feel we love to see on film. For a little extra drama, shoot at night, throw some fog in your shot and backlight it!

These simple tricks are all it takes to turn your sunny shoot into a cinematic storm.

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign in to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

After an arduous January, February almost vanished without a trace. Almost. The shortest month of the year still managed to register a few noteworthy moments in the entertainment business world. Here are some of the headlines in the entertainment business and the questions they answer.

Where are the jobs?

1. Adelaide, Australia is about to have 500 jobs in the special effects business.
2. Los Angeles is still where it’s at, with digital media jobs growing in the double digits and jobs that don’t require a degree in high demand.
3. If you’re looking for a change of scenery, mark your calendars for 2021. Cinecittà Studios, in Rome, is undergoing a relaunch.

What’s the going rate for corny movies?

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign in to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

Have you ever watched a pilot prepare to take a single-engine plane into the sky? It’s a highly-detailed art. No matter how well they know their aircraft or how many times they’ve flown, they still go through that checklist with meticulous care. After all, think of the stakes. If they get it right, it’s gonna be a beautiful ride, but if they get it wrong, it just might all go down in literal flames. The stakes for a well-planned shoot aren’t as high (although if you ask a producer on a particularly stressful day, they may argue that point), but better preparation still leads to better, more enjoyable shoots.

3 tips to make your shoot smoother

1. Follow a “night before” checklist

You know your gear better than anyone. Make a checklist that covers everything from the biggest details to the smallest. Be sure your tripod is packed, your batteries are charged, and your memory cards are empty. Special bags with your unique needs allow you to have a home for each lens and any other required gear. Put every item in the same place each time and before long, you’ll be like Forrest Gump when you’re packing and unpacking your bag. You may even go so far as to lay out the clothes you’re going to wear and prep the breakfast you’re going to eat. Include anything that will make you confident you can grab your bag and walk out the door calmly, not thinking of a damn thing except how good your coffee tastes. Keep that checklist in your gear staging area and, just like the most meticulous pilot, go through your checklist the night before each “flight.”

2. Follow a “day-of” checklist

When it comes to the actual shoot, everyone’s process is a little different. But no matter what, you need to make sure your camera is on and stable and your subject is well lit. Make a physical copy (a mental one leaves too much room for error) of whatever it takes to get to that point. Include the little things like, “test microphones.” If you’re prone to getting into an all business mode, you may even want to include something like, “say hello to crew.” Go through your checklist for when you actually set up for the shoot. You can laminate it and make it small enough to put in your pocket. It may seem like overkill, but if you’ve ever missed the money shot because of a preventable error, you know it’s worth it.

3. Recover from mistakes quickly

No matter how much you prepare, sometimes, things will not go as planned. If you make a mistake or miss something important, pivot. Use all your creative juices to decide how to get what you need another way. Ask any documentarian ever and they will tell you that some of the best moments on film came from some of the worst mistakes. If you can remember that and recover quickly, it won’t be a mistake anymore.

The secret benefit of good preparation

Mark Zuckerberg and Barack Obama see such value in paring down decisions that they wear roughly the same thing every day. They say it reduces decision fatigue, or “the deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual after a long session of decision making” and frees their mental capacity up for more important decisions.

Similarly, one of the most important benefits of good, practical preparation before a shoot is that it frees your mind up for mental preparation. When you are confident all of the details are covered, you get to dig deeper. You can think about the tone of the shoot. You can think about lighting and framing. You can think about the story. That’s where the art happens. Just about anyone can learn to light a subject, focus a lens, and set a camera up on a tripod. But that’s not what you’re there for. You’re there for the magic that led you to pick up your very first camera. You love the craft. It’s harder to access the magic that lives beyond the practical when all you can think about is whether you remembered to charge your batteries.

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign in to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

Every year, the American public witnesses a battle royale on two fronts: One is between two football teams contending for a championship ring and the other is to determine which commercials will most capture the American public’s attention. Finding a place in social media as among the best, funniest, and most shared ads is something of a Super Bowl type pursuit in itself.

That brings us to another title—not necessarily the most coveted—but an important one nonetheless. It’s the most controversial ad of the year. In years’ past, racy hamburger commercials (forgive me for not hyperlinking one that would make my mama blush) or an insurance ad featuring a dead kid have made the list. This year, the title seems to go to that Dodge Ram commercial that relied heavily on a sermon by Martin Luther King Jr..

So what does this ad—and its reception among the public—mean to video content creators?

3 lessons for video content creators from one of the Super Bowl’s most controversial ads

1. Controversy is memorable

One user overlayed the original Dodge Ram ad with different audio—that of King disapprovingly speaking of buying into capitalism. The brand defended its choice, saying it worked closely with King’s estate and was honored to “celebrate those words.” Whether this is an example of effective, sticky marketing or a tone deaf faux pas demonstrating American marketing at its worst is up for debate. What isn’t up for debate is that people (like yours truly) are still talking about the controversial ad. And if you believe the adage that even bad press is good press, then that might not be such a bad thing.

2. Tackling the iconic is risky

Memorable or not, it doesn’t hurt to take a lesson from The Voice. If you’re going to cover a song by one of the legends, you need to bring it. From the first notes of a Whitney Houston classic or one of Adele’s heart thumping ballads, you can see the judges wince. They know how easy it is for even the most talented singers to fail spectacularly when tackling one of the legends. A historic figure like Dr. King carries weight in every way imaginable. People recognize his voice instantly and have deeply ingrained feelings about who he was and what he represents. That means the stakes for using his voice and words are high—a lot higher than performing in a singing contest. This is not to say that you can’t step on stage and belt a Whitney Houston classic or use audio from a historic speech to promote a brand, it’s just to say proceed with extreme caution.

3. Content creators need to have thick skin

When you step into the realm of the controversial and iconic, one thing is sure: People will react. Add that to the fact that the internet has given place to the strangest of phenomena—an intense level of arguing over anything—and you have a unique beast to contend with. Even if you say something as simple as “pretzels are the best snack,” you will be bombarded with counterpoints, often accompanied with a disproportionate level of vitriol. So if you’re going to say something a little more bold, you need to be ready to take the inevitable heat. Or maybe the real lesson is to stay away from the comment section of your videos. Because who really cares what pretzelfanboy17 has to say anyway? Consider the source and go about your business.

Video content creators have a big job. Please the client, reach the audience, and do it without ticking too many people off. That’s why they pay you the big bucks, right?

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign in to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

When you’re in business for yourself, you know you must be on your A game at every networking event. Do you also have your game face on when someone asks what you do after your yoga class or while standing in line for coffee? New clients tend to show up in the strangest of places and the idea of the elevator pitch is that you’ll be ready to quickly and effectively communicate your value during any such opportunity. Whatever solution you offer, you’re more likely to end up selling its value on the fly than in a conference room full of decision makers.

You already know you offer a great experience and a dynamic final product. The 30-second sale gives you a chance to make sure your prospects know. The market is crowded and despite topnotch talent, you may struggle to get a seat at the table. Communicating confidently, clearly, and concisely keeps your business cards in demand and your phone ringing.

Three steps to a rockin’ elevator pitch

1. Conduct an internal branding sessionTo become the talent of choice, you must be ready to communicate your value—anywhere, any time. A branding session allows you to hash out your own questions about who you are and what makes you stand apart. The goal here isn’t to share notes from your branding session with a potential client. It’s just an exercise to make sure you have an incredibly strong understanding of your brand so that when the opportunity comes, you can share your back pocket value proposition at a moment’s notice. Treat your prospects like the big agencies do. They come to each interaction equipped to sell—knowing they must earn confidence to earn business. You don’t have to conduct an expensive, days long branding session (though you certainly can if you want to). Even a 30-minute exercise like this, from The Muse, can do wonders.

2. Practice, pitch, and practice more

Consider your services, strengths, and technology assets from your potential client’s perspective so you can communicate in a way that resonates with them. They must walk away understanding how working with you benefits them. Practice your pitch for your partners, friends, and business associates. Record yourself responding to questions so you can bolster the areas that come across weaker than others. Practice responding to concerns about price as well as curveball questions. If you’re not so familiar with all of these ideas that you could talk about them in your sleep, you’re not ready for an on-the-fly opportunity to sell your services.

3. Create opportunities: Once you have all your cards in your back pocket, create opportunities to play them. This can be called creating your own luck or networking your face off. Effective and consistent industry networking is the foundation for your growth. Identify key stakeholders within your network and pursue departments and businesses you know are an obvious or immediate fit. Spend time in the right places so you can put yourself on the other side of the table. Show up where potential clients hang out. Drink lots of coffee. Eat two lunches a day if it gives you an opportunity to share your value. Create your seat at the table—whether you were invited or not.

Being comfortable with your brand and sales pitch means that the next time you meet a potential prospect on the fly, your handshake will be firm, not clammy; your delivery will be confident, not desperate; and your pitch will compel your prospect to ask for your business card. Follow theses steps to be ready for when those strange and serendipitous moments present themselves.

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign in to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.

Content producers: hide your credit cards. CES 2018 is off to a great start with smarter smart products, thinner TVs and laptops, and even more Ks (8K here we come). We’ve gathered some info on our top picks promising to make your life easier, brighter, and in higher resolution.

Here’s what we’re paying attention to at CES

1. TVs

Stephen King says you can’t be a great writer if you aren’t an avid reader. If that’s true for video content producers, you’ll need to watch a lot of content. In that case, you may be able to justify one of these TVs for your studio in 2018. Among your options are Panasonic’s FZ950–a TV fit for Hollywood post production houses and the Q9S QLED TV, which “uses AI to make its own 8K content.” As for your space, why have a TV mounted on your wall, when you can just have a TV wall instead? The wall (that’s what it’s called) spans 12 feet across and is made up of smaller, nearly seamless MicroLED screens, each of which is “made of pixels that, like OLED, produce their own light.” 8K resolution is here to scratch the itch of those who look at their old 4K TVs and think, “Rubbish! That is so 2017!”

2. All the Ks

It’s not just TVs getting in on the resolution game. Sony’s $30,000 4K projector sits 9.6 inches from the wall onto which you’ll be projecting a 4K image. Among its standout features is that “the laser projector reaches a peak brightness of 2500 lumens.” At $30,000 it’ll up your home theater game to the best in the block while also making your post production house portable.

3. VR

Vive Pro has unveiled its latest headset. With higher resolution, built-in headphones, and a more comfortable fit than its previous model, HTC has taken virtual reality to the next level. If video is your world, you better pay attention to VR. It is to video what drones were in the last generation. Those who figure it out and master it first stand to make their presence known.

Where does it go from here? With VR, seeing is believing, but where hand-held controls fall short with the current simple vibration, it’s our sense of touch that still needs convincing. Companies are sure to focus on better haptics in future VR products and to answer the question, “Okay, but can it look even more real?” The verdict is already in: It can.

The bottom line

2018’s tech is bigger and better than ever. And in some cases, like this fingernail-sized sensor, that means smaller than ever. You can keep up with the rest of CES news here.

About Crew Connection

Crew Connection puts a suite of marketing tools at your fingertips. Get your demo reels, stills, gear, awards, and more in front of the biggest clients all over the world—for free. At Crew Connection we pay video and post production providers within 30 days of receiving your invoice so your work and your life are never interrupted. Need live assistance or want to add quality jobs to your pipeline? Our crew coordinators are on call around the clock. Sign in to Crew Connection, call 303-526-4900, or email info@crewconnection.com.